Muslim villages in Kerala fly Pakistani flags

Editor’s Note: The attackers in Mumbai were apparently in their twenties. NAM reporter Rupa Dev spoke with South Asian Americans in their twenties about how these attacks affected their lives and their view of South Asia.

Were you disturbed by the youth of the terrorists?

Yagnesh Vadgama, 26, Behavior Therapist Los Angeles, CA
No, I wasn’t surprised by the smiles on their faces and their bootlegged designer shirts. When I was backpacking through Kerala few years ago, I got to see different areas of the state, and specifically, the towns and villages that are predominately Muslim. There were streets and streets with houses flying the Pakistani flag. I asked these people why they were flying Pakistani flags, and they told me they felt a deeper connection with Pakistan because Pakistan represents Islam. Even though India is a secular nation founded on secular ideals, they reiterated that Pakistan represents Muslim ideals. So when I saw the faces of these terrorists on television, it almost brought me back to those feelings of tension amongst people in these Kerala villages who felt they were somehow being cheated by India and the government.

Nishant Singhsaid

Two days back i was spending my weekend in wayanad district of Kerala and i was shocked to see Pakistani flag all over the district.It was really heartbreaking to know that such people are allowed to show disrespect for their own country in the times when country needs their support ? How can our politicians and administrative authorities turn blind eye to such acts ?